Diversionary tactics are being developed by scientists from University of Adelaide in a bid to fool disease-causing gut bacteria that often lead to infections, such as cholera.
Diversionary tactics are being developed by scientists from University of Adelaide in a bid to fool disease-causing gut bacteria that often lead to infections, such as cholera.
According to Professor James Paton, bacteria produce toxins that damage human tissues when they bind to complex sugar receptors displayed on the surface of cells in the host's intestine.
About Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine and is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine and is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.
If given during an infection caused by a toxin-producing bacterium, these "receptor-mimic probiotics" will bind the toxins in the gut very strongly, thereby preventing the toxins from interacting with receptors on host intestinal cells and causing disease.
An advantage of this approach to treatment is that the pathogenic bacteria are unlikely to develop a resistance to it, as that would destroy the basic mechanism by which they cause disease.
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They are also more cost effective, as the bacteria can be grown cheaply in large-scale fermenters.
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Probiotic Supplements Offers No Benefit To Healthy People
Consuming probiotic supplements is of no benefit to healthy people and can, infact, harm a person with compromised immune systems, warns a leading microbiologist.
Consuming probiotic supplements is of no benefit to healthy people and can, infact, harm a person with compromised immune systems, warns a leading microbiologist.
"Our prototype receptor mimic probiotic provided 100% protection against otherwise fatal E. coli disease in an animal model. We have also developed similar receptor mimic probiotics that are capable of preventing cholera and travellers' diarrhoea.
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Scientists Learn How Probiotics can Prevent Disease
Scientists have now discovered how probiotics successfully work in fighting against a number of animal diseases and they can use this in preventing and even treating human diseases.
Scientists have now discovered how probiotics successfully work in fighting against a number of animal diseases and they can use this in preventing and even treating human diseases.
The findings were presented at the Society for General Microbiology's meeting at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.
Source-ANI
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